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Quinoa & Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Quinoa & Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Serves 2 as a main course, or 4 as a side dish
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 acorn squash
  • ½ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1½ cups water or broth
  • 1 lb ground chicken sausage
  • 3 green onions
  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries
  • 3 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. To cut the acorn squash in half, make sure you are using a very sharp chef's knife and have a stable cutting board that won't slide around on your countertop. Start by cutting the stem end off, it shouldn't be too difficult because you don't need to cut much off.
  • Next, stand your acorn squash up on the end that you just cut. Then, make a cut down the middle of the squash, using your hand to press firmly on the top of the knife to push down (watch those fingers!). Once you have it cut in half, just scoop out the seeds and stringy bits in the inside with a spoon.
  • Drizzle the inside of the squash with 1 tbsp of oil, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and place the squash face down on a baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until you are easily able to stick a knife into the flesh.
  • While the squash roasts, cook the quinoa. Start by rinsing the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold water. Then add the quinoa and 1 1/2 cups of water or broth to a saucepan. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes.
  • While the quinoa cooks, prepare the rest of the filling. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, then add the chicken sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break up the pieces of sausage, and let it cook for 4-5 minutes, until it is almost completely cooked through.
  • Add in the green onions and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the chicken sausage is cooked through and slightly brown. 
  • Take the skillet off the heat, add in the cranberries, quinoa and parsley, stir to combine. 
  • Once the squash is done, transfer the halves to a plate and spoon the quinoa mixture into the center of the squash, filling as much as you would like. Garnish with more parsley if desired.

Notes

*you will have some leftovers of the quinoa/sausage filling. You can eat it as is, or even add it on top of greens to make a salad.
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